International Day of Solidarity

Today was the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It is a day declared by the United Nations for all of humanity to stand with a people under foreign occupation, and in support for what their movement towards statehood and independence represents - self-determination, human rights, the rule of (international) law, equality, and freedom. Whether for the Gazan fisherman who is restrained from fishing for a living (and for food), or the family in East Jerusalem whose home was demolished to make room for (illegal) Israeli settlements, or the West Bank farmers who have had an (illegal) wall built between them and their fields, or the American or British activist killed by the Israeli military for standing up against these actions, it is vital that the international community send a message that they are not alone. Today, we did that in a variety of ways. The message was sent by musicians such as legend Stevie Wonder canceling a performance for Friends of the IDF, and by rallies around the world in support of Palestinian statehood. Most notably, it was sent by the countries of the world when they formally recognized Palestine as a state, albeit a non-UN-member. In other words, today has been a day where the world truly stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people, a rarity even on days designated for the purpose. One final note on this: To be with the Palestinian people is in no way to be against the Israeli people. This seems obvious to many of us, but in case it is not - a Palestinian state is good for Israeli security, as it provides something to lobby, something to pressure, and something with the authority to legitimately crack down on non-state-actors such as militant groups. Furthermore, the promotion of dignity leads to the ability to work together on joint issues such as economic integration, water, shared/split natural resource deposits, and reciprocal access to religious sites. This is why, although you often hear it presented as a dichotomy, this issue is not. And that is why you have rallies like this one, where Israeli citizens stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people today, the day they were recognized by the UN as a state.